THREE TIMES THE LOVE

I have admired Derek Hoare serving the needs of two children with autism in his family of three children. It can be done. And if the Ministry of Children in B.C. has any doubt or if it requires a 101 refresher then I am recommending a book entitled, ‘Three Times the Love.”

Three Times the Love, by Lynn and Randy Gaston, is a memoir, written in Lynn's voice, chronicling the first few years of raising their triplets with autism.

SOCIAL SPENDING MUST BE MORE ACCOUNTABLE

We have come to expect that all neighbourhood and family problems can and should be addressed by social programs and social funds. Millions of dollars are poured into thousands of programs in British Columbia annually. Does that money make a difference? We do not know? People assume that it does but no exact measurement of outcomes is done. The default answer from officials is that it’s impossible to evaluate the impact of the investments. But wouldn’t responsible governance insist on gathering such evidence? How many of the children seized by the MCFD last year are better off outside their biological family life? If the money directed into foster parenting had been targeted to the improvement of biological families, how much more benefit would have been achieved? If increased effort was made to assist biological parents rather than take their children, how many millions of dollars would have been saved by avoiding court and legal expenses?